County will give Laura's Law a hard look

“Mental illness is not a crime. It is one of the most painful illnesses we as humans endure. It is difficult to find a cure and it is difficult to find support from the medical community. The mental health system is overwhelming to navigate and understand alone. Law enforcement is having to shoulder a high degree of responsibility.

“The officers who responded to my call for help put themselves at great risk to save my son. They were brave and compassionate and I cannot thank them enough. As a mother and nurse, my consistent and dire requests to the medical field did not hold ground for action. My son was a threat to himself and the community. Now I stand here with a broken heart for my son and all of the sons and daughters who suffer from mental illness, asking that you enact Laura’s Law. People who suffer from mental illness need the presence of a strong and compassionate community.”

In 90 days, we’ll get a sweeping audit of this county’s strength and compassion.